Masters Make Majors

Why March means a lot to Federer’s Wimbledon hopes

- Tom Perrotta

Many of you probably consider Wimbledon to be Roger Federer’s ultimate tournament. He has won it a record eight times, including a run last year in which he didn’t drop a set.

Now ask yourself: How did this happen? The obvious: Federer is Federer, and there hasn’t ever been anyone like him. Good health and luck is also part of every fine stretch of tennis, and Federer obviously had both in 2017.

But just as important was the run he had in March, at Indian Wells and Miami. Federer was brilliant during each Masters 1000 tournament and won them both. Those titles couldn’t have been more important, considering he skipped the entire clay-court season after Miami and didn’t play for more than two months, until the leadup to Wimbledon began on grass.